Behind the Curtain of CR-112 – Part 2
The following text messages were exchanged on the day before and day of the press release for the CR-112 resolution between County Councilwoman Christiana Mercer-Rigby and her district aide, Felix Facchine
A Concerning Pattern of Statutory Violations by the HCPSS Board of Education
A concerning pattern of statutory violations and ‘inadvertent mistakes’ have been made by the BOE over the past two months under the leadership of Chairwoman Mavis Ellis that is eroding public confidence and trust.
Notes on Backroom Bullying of HCPSS Board of Education Member
We’re finally starting to receive responses to the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) requests that were submitted following the controversial ending to this year’s HCPSS school redistricting process back in November and WOW, is there some interesting stuff.
Open Meetings Act Complaint Filed Against HCPSS Board of Education
The complaint below was submitted on December 18, 2019 to the Open Meetings Act (OMA) Compliance Board, detailing recurring OMA violations via electronic communications between BOE members over the past year. The BOE has until January 17, 2020 to respond to this complaint.
Behind the Curtain of CR-112 – Part 1
This is Part 1 of a series of Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) response releases that will give a glimpse behind the curtain regarding the planning and rollout of the Howard County Council’s CR-112 resolution that called on the Howard County public school system to ‘desegregate’ its schools.
How the Sausage Got Made, HCPSS Redistricting Style…
Here’s a tiny glimpse into how the sausage got made during this Fall’s school redistricting process — text messages between BOE members Sabina Taj & Jen Mallo during the November 18, 2019 work session. I wonder which move was “nice to Chao”?
HCPSS Redistricting Ratification Vote – Part 2
The discussion about the statement that Mavis Ellis made on behalf of the Board prior to the redistricting ‘ratification vote’ held on December 17, 2019 is so concerning that it deserves further attention.
HCPSS Redistricting Ratification Vote – Part 1
On December 17, the BOE held a ‘ratification vote’ on the controversial Clemens Crossing redistricting vote that occurred on November 21, 2019, in which the vote initially failed 3-4 and then was overturned 4-3 after a sudden and seemingly illegal recess by the Board.
Trial Run on New HCPSS Homework Policy
Socio-economic based redistricting was proposed as a necessary first step towards achieving equity in education in Howard County. A next proposed step seems to be to change homework to be an optional, non-graded practice, and Ellicott Mills Middle School is serving as the test case.
Recap & Reflections on the Final 2019 HCPSS Redistricting Vote
Tonight’s unprecedented controversy was a fitting end to this entire broken process. It has shaken me to the core. I’m stunned, and my heart aches for Ms. Coombs, for the Clemons Crossing community who suffered severe “redistricting whiplash”, and for everyone else caught up in this mess.